Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Nightmare of the Presidency

Regular
readers of this blog know I often have revealing dreams, but I have never had
the audacity to dream of myself in the Oval Office. Yet last night, in one of
those waking moments that come around three in the morning for us older members
of “the tribe” who were to rise, tend to the campfire, and keep watch for lions
and tigers and bears in olden times, I began to consider what a nightmare it
would be to find myself elected president.

The
occasion was my careful announcement to my Facebook friends of the candidate I
support for the presidency. Given Georgia’s and other primaries this week, the
timing seemed relevant. I say “careful,”
because I chose a few words to support my candidate without overtly disparaging
another’s choice. I was a little apprehensive about doing so, as we all know
that the internet and Facebook can be a minefield, especially when sharing
political views.

I
received over 200 likes and over 50 comments, mostly supportive. A few
expressed surprise, offering an alternative candidate. But the harshest comment
came not from another political party, but from my own political framework.
Someone asked how I could be a Christian and support this candidate, and said I
must have been duped by the candidate’s “propaganda.”

Recent
studies have suggested that political polarization is caused less by disagreement
than by our failure to believe our opponents’ intentions are good, or at least
justified or reasonable. This is the beam in my own eye that I stumble over
when faced with my differences with the opposing political party. Now, I may be
right in doubting their motivations. But it would seem that someone from my own
party and bias might give me credit for making a reasoned choice that might not
be theirs.

It
makes me think of my biological family that never shied away from political
arguments. Often political anger arose out of thinking that a family member I
love would not be making such a stupid or heartless choice! In a perverse way,
our political ire showed our deep respect for the person’s intelligence and
moral compass.

Maybe
the same thing is happening within the various “tribes” we belong to, whether a
church, political party, circle of friends, or a nation as a whole. Maybe we
think our better natures should make us all come out on the same page.

All
of this is to say that at 3 a.m. I realized that to become
president of the United States would be, for me, a nightmare. My tiny Facebook
skirmish made me realize how vulnerable, how thin-skinned I can be. This may
come as a surprise to those who know my lifetime of struggle for LGBT
acceptance in the church, as well as other unpopular justice issues. But that is a drop in the bucket compared to
the struggle of a U.S. President.

If
elected, whom could I trust? Could I even trust myself to make the right
choices? I can’t imagine being adequately informed about any issue. If blocked,
could I confront my challengers? Would I be willing to compromise, and would I
compromise too much?

Having
never served in the military, what would I do with the imposing and
intimidating Joint Chiefs of Staff? And, being a member of a centuries-old
marginalized tribe, the LGBT community, how would I or my opponents discern
between disagreement and disrespect?

And
how would I cope with the outrageous “slings and arrows” that come a
president’s way—slights, hurts, attacks, as well as the omnipresent danger of a
lunatic wanting to make a life while taking yours.

My
inaction as well as my actions could spell catastrophe for huge segments of the
world population, let alone the earth’s environment. In some ways, being
president is kind of like being God—you can’t really have a day off. And if
you’re having a bad day, multitudes may suffer.

Some
of you might say, well, this is surprising coming from a minister who speaks
for God. That is the more audacious
task, representing God. But I have never
viewed myself “speaking for God.” In my nocturnal reverie, a play I had seen at
the tender age of 18 at L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum came to mind: the Christopher
Isherwood adaptation of the George Bernard Shaw story, “The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search of God.” I have always felt like my writings detail
“the adventures of a gay red-headed boy in his search of God.” More on this
next week.

It
is an awesome task to be “the leader of the free world” or the leader of any
nation. That’s why your vote and my vote count so much. We don’t want the
presidency to be scarier than it already is.

2 comments:

This!!----is true to me. "Recent studies have suggested that political polarization is caused less by disagreement than by our failure to believe our opponents’ intentions are good, or at least justified or reasonable." Thanks for verbalizing it that way. Very helpful to remember. For me.

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ABOUT CHRIS...

Chris Glaser has a ministry of writing and speaking. Since graduation from Yale Divinity School in 1977, Chris has served in a variety of parish, campus, editorial, and interim posts. He has spoken to hundreds of congregations, campuses, and communities throughout the U.S. and Canada, and published a dozen best-selling books on spirituality, sexuality, vocation, contemplation, scripture, sacrament, theology, marriage, and death.